15 Things You Never Knew About Walt Disney World

Thursday

Feb 27, 2014 at 6:43 PM

Paige Cooperstein

The latest installment in Susan Veness' "Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World" series will definitely test you. Even if you're a Disney freak, chances are you'll learn a thing or two from Vaness, who has been writing Disney guidebooks since 2009.

Her trivia book asks multiple choice questions like, "What was the original nickname given to Walt Disney World?" Answer: The Vacation Kingdom of the World.

Here are some more little-known facts from the book about Walt Disney World (Yes, that's the one in Florida):

1. A military veteran takes part in a flag-lowering ceremony every day at 5 p.m. on Main Street, U.S.A. in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

2. The Prince Charming Regal Carousel was first installed in Detroit, Mich., in 1917, then moved to Maplewood, N.J., before finding a permanent home in the Magic Kingdom.

3. If you hang out in the library for a few minutes after the Enchanted Tales with Belle show ends, the crew will explain some of their technical tricks, like bringing the character of Lumiere to life.

4. Fantasyland's concert hall assigns music performances based on puns; i.e. Genie sings the blues because he's blue and Ariel has a choral group as a play on coral under the sea.

5. Guests often throw coins into the water along the walkway of the It's A Small World attraction. Disney donates that money to Give Kids the World, an organization that makes wishes come true for children with life-threatening illnesses.

6. Abraham Lincoln was Walt Disney's favorite president. To accurately represent him in the Hall of Presidents, the park made Lincoln's face from a copy of a life mask created by the sculptor Leonard Volk in 1860.

7. The Pirates of the Caribbean ride almost wasn't built because Disney thought guests wouldn't be interested in a fantasy recreation of a place that was a short cruise away from where they already were in Florida.

8. The image of Jasmine's tiger Rajah is hidden in the front and back sections of the flying carpet in the Magic Carpets of Aladdin attraction.

9. In The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion, Nigel, the pelican hero from Finding Nemo, is the only main character not depicted.

10. Disney developed a signature scent for Norway in Epcot. It's called Laila and smells like airy mountains. The perfume is sprayed throughout the day in the pavilion.

11. Sometimes in the red phone booth across from the Hotel du Canada in Epcot, the phone rings and it's a Disney character calling that you can have a conversation with.

12. The Rock 'n' Roller Coaster was supposed to feature music by the Rolling Stones, but the band proved too expensive for Disney's tastes. Instead, the park paid Aerosmith to use their music on the roller coaster.

13. In The Voyage of the Little Mermaid ride, Disney adds helium to the bubble makers to create bubbles that float up instead of down.

14. Some Spoonbills in the Oasis section of Animal Kingdom are given fake eggs to sit on. This helps prevent over population because it tricks the birds into thinking they've fulfilled their reproductive obligation.

15. Even though they're talked about in Animal Kingdom, there are no actual hyenas in the park. They're considered too vicious to be kept safely in Animal Kingdom.

You can pick up your own copy of "The Hidden Magic Of Disney World" here.

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SEE ALSO: A Former 'Snow White' Dishes About Life As A Disney Park Princess

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